CANSA CEO Announced an Honouree: ‘Mission Driven Champions’ Category in Diligent Global Recognition Programme

New York, NY, September 24, 2024 – Diligent, a leading GRC SaaS company, today announced the honourees of the 2024 Modern Governance 100. Elize Joubert, the CEO of the Cancer Association of South Africa (CANSA) was among the honourees, and one of the winners in the ‘Mission Driven Champions’ category.

Says Elize,”I am humbled to have received this recognition, but all honour to the CANSA team who work alongside me, and for the leadership of the CANSA Board. I believe this recognition will strengthen CANSA’s image as an NPO and raise visibility. Thank you for being a wonderful team and for all your support and collaboration. It is not my award, it is CANSA’s award!”

A Global Recognition Programme

Now in its sixth year, this global recognition programme highlights the world’s top professionals in governance, risk, compliance, audit, and ESG, recognising their dedication to helping organisations accelerate their mission and achieve excellence in governance practices.

“Today’s leaders must navigate the delicate balance between purpose and performance, ensuring short-term success while safeguarding the future of their organisations,” said Brian Stafford, President and CEO of Diligent. “The professionals we celebrate today excel at turning challenges into opportunities, fostering resilience, and guiding their organisations toward sustainable growth and smarter decision-making.”

The Modern Governance 100 honourees include representatives across 18 countries, who were nominated by their peers and executive leadership.

The Modern Governance 100 programme includes six categories highlighting key areas of governance:

• Audit & Analytics All Star – An audit professional who has created an integrated view of audit to monitor and mitigate risks so that leaders can focus on achieving success.
• Boards & Governance Innovator – An individual championing the ability for board members and executives to collaborate quickly and securely and move at the speed of the business.
• Compliance & Ethics Leader – An individual evolving a compliance department to stay on top of ever-changing regulations, ensuring the organization can stay compliant externally while building a culture of ethics internally.
• ESG, Diversity & Climate Trailblazer – A forward-thinker putting initiatives in place to measure and report on ESG in a meaningful way, helping their organisation to do better and to stay accountable to stakeholders, communities and the planet.
• Risk & Strategy Advisor – A business leader taking an integrated approach to monitoring and mitigating risks, including cybersecurity, so that leaders can focus on achieving success instead of solely on avoiding disaster.
• Mission Driven Champion – A nonprofit, school board, or mission driven organisation leader who has shown commitment to transformation that increases transparency, streamlines processes, and empowers leaders in their organization to shape a better future.

View the full list of the 2024 Modern Governance 100 honourees here.

Elize Joubert – CEO of the Cancer Association of South Africa (CANSA)

Elize Joubert (CANSA CEO)

Elize Joubert is an award-winning CEO in the civil society sector with an impressive credentials and a career that has been focused on health and social issues.

Elize is a professional Social Worker having graduated Cum Laude and holds a Management Diploma from University of the Free State Business School. Throughout her time with the association, Joubert has contributed significantly to the development and growth of CANSA through developing various national policy documents; contributing to the design of the CANSA business and operating models; and developing several manuals and modules for CANSA service programmes and human resources management.

In 2015, she was announced as the African Continental Winner for Welfare and Civil Society Organisations at Africa’s Most Influential Women in Business and Government Awards. This followed her winning two awards earlier that year, ‘Country Winner from South Africa’ and ‘SADC South Regional’ for the category ‘Welfare and Civil Society Organisations.’

She was honoured with a Leadership Recognition Award by Mamello Trading and the University of Free State in 2019 as one of seven leading women in senior positions who continue to inspire confidence in other women in the rest of the country.

As CEO, she ensures CANSA networks and collaborate with partners as wide as possible to mobilise resources and to contribute to cancer control in South Africa and Africa.

Joubert also serves as an EXCO member of the Non-Communicable Diseases Alliance for South Africa as well as of the Cancer Alliance. She further represented the South African NCD Alliance in 2017 at the World Health Organization Assembly in Geneva.

She is currently part of the Global Advocacy Advisory Group with the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC). She believes that CANSA plays a critical role in influencing and helping to build a world without cancer.

As strategic leader Elize stays abreast of changes in the environment and of industries needs and developments and over the years, aligned CANSA to absorb the impact of changes. As CEO, Elize recalculated the business through the years with new business models to ensure CANSA remains a value adding non-profit organisation by meeting changing needs of our stakeholders and staying sustainable.

Over the last three years, CANSA restructured and re-organised its business model to address challenges and changes triggered by the impact of COVID-19. The persistent poor economic climate in SA affects the ability of businesses and individuals to contribute the same way they did pre COVID-19, however the changes to the CANSA strategy have yielded fruit and CANSA was able to make surpluses in the last three years after COVID.  CANSA service programmes (mission delivery), expanded its reach within poorly resourced and disadvantaged communities.

CANSA’s Black Beneficiary Based Certificate rating is maintained above 80%.

Heightened international visibility and stakeholder acknowledgement result in CANSA regularly being invited to join international bodies and coalitions. Elize ensures CANSA holds itself to the highest standards of ethics and governance, and with strong internal controls. She is committed to the sustainability and ethical conduct of CANSA’s service offerings to the public, maintaining the highest standards of public trust.

Under her leadership CANSA’s approach to governance has evolved over the years to the current governance risk-based approach.  Elize ensures governing of technology and information in a way that supports CANSA in setting and achieving its strategic objectives, including the development of organisation specific technology and software that will make CANSA a leader in its field for effective and safe data gathering and application.

By adhering to ethical leadership and corporate citizenship, Elize has established an ethical culture through governance. She ensures that building and enhancing the CANSA brand and amplifying the message that CANSA continues to play a vital and leading role as value-adding NPO in cancer-control, remains high priority.